"Alabama is the best team when it comes to signing, Alabama is a class act all the way," Jaggers said.

HOOVER, Ala. - Michael Jaggers is standing at ease in the lobby of the Wynfrey Hyatt on Tuesday morning, but his eyes are scanning the escalator.

The moment an SEC football coach and/or players hop on the escalator and head down to the lobby here at the SEC football media days, Jaggers will politely, but forcefully, fight for position along a rope which he and the rest of the autograph hounds stand behind.

Right now, his competition is a kid in a Mississippi State jersey and a man wearing a Tennessee jersey. And that guy in the South Carolina cap looks kind of feisty.

"I just like collecting," said Jaggers, 30, who lives in Gadsden and who drives to this hotel 60 miles southwest on Interstate 59 almost daily during media days to stand from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. getting signatures on various items. "But there's a lot of waiting. Signing lasts two minutes and then you wait for long stretches. I don't come every day. I wait and see which teams are here on a certain day and I also use my past experience knowing which teams like to sign and which don't."

There are memorabilia dealers who also hang out. If you don't believe it, check e-Bay or other websites. Signed media days items go up for sale fairly quickly.

The first few days of signing are rather sedate, although a crowd of Auburn fans who gathered Monday waiting for Tigers' coach Gus Malzahn and three Auburn players were yelling "War Eagle" so loud it could be heard in the second floor print media interview room.

But the biggest mob each year gathers the day Alabama shows up, which will happen on Thursday. The lobby will be packed with Crimson Tide fans, and they will get rewarded for their loyalty.

"Alabama is the best team when it comes to signing. Alabama is a class act all the way," Jaggers said. "Even with Alabama having the biggest crowd, Coach (Nick) Saban and his players always take the time to sign."